Foggy Dreams And Harsh Realities
by dorkycorky88
Summary: Casey is hiding something. She just can't remember what. Derek needs a tutor. Can an unlikely friendship help Casey remember something she'd rather forget? AU: not step-siblings
1. Chapter 1

If she doesn't get out of this room soon she's going to scream. She did not sign up for this. When her English teacher told her if she volunteered to tutor a member of the hockey team she would get extra credit toward her final grade she was not expecting the snarky, arrogant, playboy Derek Venturi, captain of the hockey team and self proclaimed "ladies man."

The first afternoon he flirted with her shamelessly, even went so far as asking her out at the end of their session.

"I don't date who I'm tutoring and I barely know you." She had said. Derek gave her a sly smile. "Ah, yes, but you see, you wont be tutoring me forever, and I'm sure you know enough about me." He said winking at her.

Casey scoffed at him, "Oh, I've heard plenty. Trust me, you're so not my type." Casey said with a wave of her hand and turned to pack up her things. Derek looked hurt for a moment but quickly schooled his features. "Oh, and just what is your type? Boring nerds on the debate club who write poetry about their feelings?"

Casey stopped and looked at him for a moment, under the hostility she could see that she had genuinely hurt his feelings. She decided to hold back her scathing retort and bring the conversation back to a safe topic. "Alright, I think we're done for the day. See you tomorrow at 1." She grabbed her things and bolted for the door.

For two weeks Derek didn't say a word to her that wasn't related to what they were studying.

The following week he broke his silence and spoke rather crudely to her.

"Did you write that short story I asked you to?" Casey asked pulling out her book and note pad.

Derek sat there rubbing his temples. "No, I went out with some friends and I forgot"

"Mhmm," Casey hummed.

"What?" Derek asked with an edge to his voice.

"Nothing, it's just if I were in your situation I wouldn't be wasting my time partying."

Derek laughed, "And what is my situation, princess?"

"You aren't just failing English, there's History and Health too. If you don't pick up your grades you're warming the bench instead of playing. Honestly if you just put more time into your studies and a little less time with fr-"

Derek cut her off. "If you weren't such an uptight bitch you might actually have friends." He grabbed his book and roughly shoved it into his bag. "I might suck at school but I don't need some self-righteous prude telling me how I should be spending my time." He snatched up his bag and walked out of the library.

He didn't show up the next day.

Casey sat in the cafeteria reading when someone tapped her shoulder. She turned around to see Derek standing behind her with his English book.

"I was informed if I didn't continue to study with you I would be suspended." He said looking over her head as he spoke.

Casey put her book back in her bag and stood up, "I talked to our teacher and requested a different assignment. Trey Anderson will be tutoring you from now on," Casey glanced at the clock by the door. "If you hurry you might be able to get some time in."

Casey turned to get her bag off the seat next to her, Derek was still standing behind her when she turned around.

"You don't want to tutor me anymore?" He asked.

"Yeah, being called a self-righteous bitch tends to dampen the excitement of your company," Casey replied hoisting her back pack on her shoulder.

"I believe the term was 'uptight bitch' you're confusing that with when I called you a 'self-righteous prude.'" Derek said with a chuckle. Casey pushed past him with an aggravated growl.

Derek watched her run toward the double doors when a girl turned around and tripped her.

"Keep your mouth shut, Spacey." The girl sneered at her.

Casey picked up her bag while the girl went back to her group of friends, all of them giving her disgusted looks.

Derek walked over to her and bent over to help pick up her books. "What was that about?" He asked giving her her copy of 'Romeo and Juliet' Casey looked back at the group of teens. "You don't know?" She asked, her face starting to redden and her eyes starting to glisten.

Derek looked back at the kids, they regarded her one last time and marched out of the cafeteria. "No, should I?" Casey wiped her eyes and shook her head.

"I'll see you around, Derek."


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: forgot to mention that I am writing this on my phone, so please forgive errors.**

**also I don't own Life With Derek. If I did Derek and Casey would love each other. Thanks for reading, please leave a review and let me know what you think!**

Casey quickly turns down the hallway leading to her locker, she isn't paying attention and collides into somebody sending her flying backwards landing on her butt. She looks at the person to apologize and comes face to face with Andrew Wilks. Her saving grace and only friend.

"Whoa there McDonald, where's the fire?" Andrew squats down next to her, his blond hair falling over his sparkling green eyes.

"Sorry, I wasn't paying attention." Andrew gives her a hand up.

"Sophie and her minions after you again?"

Casey gets her back pack and they walk to her locker. "Yeah, something like that."

Andrew sighs, "Case, you've got to forget about them."

"Believe me I'm trying," Casey puts her combination and tries to open her locker but it's stuck. "C'mon!" She says hitting and kicking and trying to jiggle it open. Andrew is trying his hardest not to laugh, but he can't help it.

Casey glares at him. "A little help?" Andrew puts her combination in and opens the locker no problem.

"No one likes a show off, Andy."

Andrew laughs but then spots something over Casey's shoulder. "Have any idea why Venturi is looking at you like you kicked his puppy?" Casey looks behind her and Derek is staring at them and vigorously shoving books in his locker.

Casey sighs and closes her locker. "I've been tutoring him and we had an argument and I asked to stop tutoring him."

"Seems like a bit much for an argument, you need to lighten up,"

"I guess I'm just being an uptight bitch and a self-righteous prude."

She says trying to mimic his voice.

Andrew stopped smiling and looked over at Derek. "He said that to you?"

Casey knowing Andrew- who has become even more protective of her over the last year- doesn't say anything hoping he'll drop it.

Andrew side steps her and starts stalking over to Derek who is still beating up his locker.

"Andrew!" Casey calls after him, Derek at the last second looks up before he is slammed into the lockers.

"Andrew, stop!" Casey yells trying to pull him away from Derek. Andrew has Derek pinned to the locker with his forearm and has his fist in the air. Andrew is easily half a foot taller than Derek.

"You think just because you're some hockey big shot you can speak to women anyway you want to, Venturi?"

Derek is clawing at his arm trying to get Andrew to release him.

"Andrew, that's enough!" Casey says tugging on his arm. Andrew releases Derek and pushes him back into the locker.

"Stay away from her," Andrew commands.

"I think I left my History book in the cafeteria, would you go get that for me, Andrew?" Casey says in a soothing tone.

Andrew looks between Derek and Casey, she nods at him letting him know it's ok. Andrew glares at Derek before heading back to the cafeteria.

"Nice of you to call your guard dog off, maybe keep him on a leash next time, 'kay hon?" Derek says grinning sarcastically- is that possible?-

Casey scowls at him.

"Is your boyfriend alway so... Friendly?" Derek asks while straightening out his clothes.

"He's not my boyfriend. He's my best friend and he's very protective."

"Guys- best friend or not- don't attempt to kick someone's ass for calling you names if they don't want to hook up with you."

Casey laughs, Derek gives her an "oh please," look.

"Andy and I have been friends since we were 5, something happened this summer and he keeps and extra eye out for me." Casey says picking at her nails.

"Anyway, I'm sorry he almost killed you."

Derek chuckles. "I call you a bitch and a prude and you're apologizing to me?"

"Uptight bitch and self-righteous prude- and yes, just because you're a jerk with no filtering system doesn't mean I should allow my friends to murder you."

Derek smirks at her. "That's the third time I've heard you say 'bitch' today, I'm impressed, princess."

"Oh, shut up." Casey rolls her eyes with a laugh. She turns to leave.

"Look, I'm sorry for saying that to you the other day. I was having an off afternoon- week - turns out I'm not used to pretty girls turning me down." Derek said his eyes scanning her body.

"Oh get over yourself," Casey said crossing her arms over her chest.

"How about I get under you?" Derek asks wriggling his eyebrows

"Ugh, you're a pig." Casey walks to the door behind Derek. Derek catches up to her and grabs her elbow to stop her.

"Alright, I'll admit that went over the line, but you should have seen your face." He says suppressing a giggle.

"You are unbelievable,"

"Unbelievably handsome, that's what they all say,"

Casey narrows her eyes at him.

"Okay, okay," Derek says holding his hands up in mock surrender.

"I'm sorry I'm witty and charm-"

Casey clears her throat.

"Alright, I'm sorry I called you a bitch and a prude. Please keep tutoring me, Trey is a tool who couldn't find his way out of an open door, I'll kill him and then myself if I have to spend an hour a day with him."

Casey looks at him for a moment. "Can you control that mouth of yours?"

Derek's eyes widen. "As a matter of fact I have lots of control of my mouth." He says seductively

Casey scoffs and continues out the door. Derek walks along side her,

"C'mon, you walked right into that one."

"If you can stop making everything sexual I'll talk to Mr. Ransic tomorrow, but you better keep your little lines to yourself."

"I'll try, but tell Mr. Roids to back off."

"If you're nice to me Andrew has no reason to clobber you."

Derek kicks a rock while they walk. "See you after lunch tomorrow?"

Casey smiles at him "Tomorrow."


	3. Chapter 3

**AN- thank you for your patience with this, I have a 2 month old baby and its hard to find time and be inspired to write. Also this is really long, I just didn't know where to cut it off.**

**the beginning is a dream/memory nothing graphic but mildly disturbin.**

The_ room is dark and smells like vomit; Casey tries to sit up but there's suddenly a weight on top of her. She tries to push it away but her arms feel like they're full of sand,_ _she __tries to speak but nothing comes out. She tries to focus her eyes but she can barely keep them open. The weight on her moves and she can see now it's a person, and it's bunching up her skirt._

_Panic sets in and she starts clawing at the person on top of her. Her movements are sluggish and the stranger is strong and easily pins her arms above her head. "Shh, relax, just let it happen."_

She wakes up on the couch screaming. She's afraid that her mom is going to be disturbed but then Casey remembers that her mom works late on Thursdays.

Wanting a distraction she picks up the phone and calls Andrew.

"Andrew Wilks House Of Desire, how may I make your dreams come true?" Casey let out a shaky laugh, this is what she needed.

"It's me you creepy perv."

"Oh, Casey, sorry you had to hear that. I have to pay for college somehow." He said laughing at the end. "What's up?"

Andrew knew of the nightmares that plagued Casey, he had been there when she had fallen asleep on the couch a few months after the party. She woke up kicking and screaming, Andrew looked horrified and his face had gone white. He tried to comfort her but seeing Casey like that shook him up so bad that Casey had to comfort him.

Casey sighed. "I need a distraction,"

Andrew was quite for a moment before he took a deep breath.

"Did I ever tell you about the time I walked in on my grandmother changing?"

"Uh, I don't think so?" Casey said trying not to gag.

"I was seven and it was my first time visiting her at her new house, so I didn't know my way around yet; I was trying to find a bathroom but accidentally wondered into her room. I heard a scream and I whirled around and seen my grandma standing in her closet with her head halfway out of the neck hole of her shirt and her huge ugly white bra."

Casey laughed.

"Her boobs went down to her belly button. Her belly button Case! To this day I can't look at water balloons and white lace the same."

"Water balloons and white lace?" Casey questioned.

"Yes, and it really hurts my feelings that you're demeaning my traumatic experience, the doctors are still baffled as to how I didn't go blind. I knew this kid once-"

"Andrew, thanks, you've succeeded in distracting me, but if you talk about large old lady boobs anymore I'm afraid this friendship is over."

Andrew chuckled on the other line. "Alright, so are we good?"

"Yeah, I'm ok. Thanks." She said honestly.

"So how are things going with Venturi? Does he need a repeat performance of last week?"

"Derek has been fine, he is actually a normal human being when you get past the snarky, slutty façade."

Andrew snickered. "I don't buy that,"

"Well I invited him to sit with us at lunch tomorrow, so I guess you'll see."

Andrew made a gagging noise before he hung up the phone.

Casey heard the front door open and her mom whisper a swear, Casey got up to see her mom with three shopping bags wrestling with the key in the door.

"Oh, hi honey. Can I get a hand here?"

Casey grabbed the bags from her mother and took them to the kitchen, her mother came in and started to put the food away.

"How was school?"

"It was okay, I tutored in the library and got an A on my history test."

"Mhmm," her mom hummed putting the cold items in the refrigerator.

"I had to stay late and help Mr. Hastings clean spit balls off the wall because someone said they saw me doing it."

"That's nice," her mother said filling the sink up with water.

Casey gave her mom a sideways glance, "I also got expelled for smoking in the bathroom." Casey often threw in ridiculous details into their conversations to see if her mother would notice.

Her mother worked all the time and when she was home she never had time for Casey. Her mother liked to date and was never home on the weekends; Casey knew she was being ridiculous but she sort of blamed her mother for what happened at Sophie Hendrick's party. If her mother had her priorities right Casey wouldn't have been allowed to go to that party, Sophie was known for throwing wild party's with booze and drugs. And she had only gone under the pretense that if she didn't she wouldn't have any friends. Who knew that going would make her lose them anyway?

"Okay, make sure you clean up any mess you might make tonight; Michael will be here in an hour."

Her mom turned and marched up the stairs.

"Bye," Casey said to the empty room.

* * *

><p>Casey was at her locker getting her things for her next class when she heard someone approach her locker and then slam it shut. It startled her and she jumped and turned to see who it was.<p>

"Good afternoon, Spacey." Sophie snarled at her. Spacey used to be an endearing nickname that Sophie chose but these days it was spit at her with venom.

Casey sighed, "Hello, Sophie."

Sophie snapped her gum and rolled her eyes. "You aren't still peddling that made up sob story are you?"

Casey took a deep breath and tried to keep her emotions under control- Sophie like to corner her every few weeks or so to make sure she didn't talk- Crying in front of Sophie wouldn't help anything.

"I have no one to talk to, you made sure of that."

Sophie laughed dryly, "You got drunk at a party and had a dream, then you started spreading lies like it was gospel."

Casey blanched, "I passed out in your room and then woke up with my underwear missing, and I know I didn't take them off."

Casey paused, she was getting angry. "Look, you obviously don't believe me, why do you even bother trying to keep me from talking?"

Sophie smirked and stepped closer. "Because," Sophie whispered sweeping Casey's hair to the side and fixing the collar on her shirt, to someone watching it was a friendly gesture but Casey knew it was another intimation tactic. "If you don't keep your trap shut word is going to get back to my parents and then the good times are over for everyone."

Casey took a step back and bumped into someone.

"Hey there pretty lady," Casey turned her head to see Derek grinning at her.

Casey gave him a small smile and turned back to Sophie-who was now salivating at Derek-

"Hey D," Sophie said twirling her out of the box blonde hair. Derek gave her an awkward head nod and then looked down at Casey.

"Still on for lunch?"

Casey gave him a half hearted smile, "Yeah,"

Derek smiled at her and put his hand on her shoulder, "I'll walk you to class," he looked over to Sophie, "Uh, Samantha was it?"

"Sophie," she bristled.

"Whatever, we'll see you around. Excuse us," Derek spun Casey around and guided her down the hall.

"Ugh, I can't believe I let her stick her tongue in my mouth in grade eight." He said with a shiver.

"Gross!" Casey scolded, lightly slapping his arm off her shoulder.

"So Sophie is a bitch, what did you do to get on her radar?" He implored.

"It's nothing. We used to be friends and something came up this summer and now we're not. Don't worry about it."

"Hmm, so she likes to bully you for no reason then, eh?"

"You said it yourself she's a bitch, she lives to make me suffer. Anyway, thanks for that. Back there, I mean. It's hard to get away from her once you're in her gravity. Kind of like a black hole." Casey chuckled.

Derek shrugged, "No problem, anyway, I'll see you at lunch?"

Casey nodded, "Yep, don't, uh, don't forget that I can't make it to the library today- I have to give my speech for debate club- But I'll meet you after school and we can go to my house and study."

Derek smiled at her. "You're kind of cute when you're flustered."

Casey blushed, "Keep your comments to yourself, I let the "pretty lady" thing slide, don't push it."

Derek chuckled and winked as he strode down the hallway.

* * *

><p>Lunch was an interesting affair, Andrew didn't speak to Derek unless Derek asked him a question.<p>

A girl with long silky blond hair came over and couldn't keep her hands off of Derek, he would give Casey apologetic looks when he would pry the girls hands off of his body. Casey tried to analyze why seeing this girl maul Derek made her upset.

Maybe it was because the girl didn't have the decency to save it for a more private time, but then thinking about Derek and this girl alone together brought on another set of emotions.

She swallowed the lump in her throat and viciously attacked her salad.

A hand waving in front of her face stopped her violence on her vegetables. She looked up as Derek set his hand on top of hers.

"Whoa, chill out. I don't think the salad likes to be speared savagely with your fork."

Casey retracted her hand and went back to her lunch.

Derek chuckled, "Are you upset about that girl that was just here?"

Casey's head snapped up. "No!" She said quickly.

Andrew laughed, " Casey doesn't like to share." He said patting her shoulder, Casey shrugged away.

"There's nothing to share," Casey said lightly.

Andrew rolled his eyes, "Please. Do you remember when Amanda wanted to play with your Malibu Barbie and your mom had to force you to give it to her? You stomped around and pouted for ten minutes until she gave it back. You're doing it again."

"Wait, am I the Barbie in this scenario?" Derek asked with an amused look on his face.

Andrew laughed again and high fived Derek. "Nice,"

Casey looked at both of the boys in front of her.

"I don't like this," she said gesturing to Derek and Andrew with her fork, sending lettuce all over the table. "You guys don't like each other and suddenly you team up to bother me?"

"Bothering you is a full time job, I had to outsource; Derek is the only one up for it."

Casey watched the pair, "did I miss something?"

The bell rang signaling the end of lunch.

Derek smirked at her. "I'll meet you at my car after school Casey."

* * *

><p>Debate was a disaster, she was nervous and eventually just spewed verbal diarrhea until the teacher asked her to stop.<p>

She joined debate because she loved a good argument, but it was mostly to get over her intense fear of public speaking, and so far she made little progress on that part.

Arguing was her bread and butter, there was nothing more exciting than a good argument, putting it all out there and oh, the winning! Casey loved to be right.

"You can't write your essay about that, Derek." Casey said shaking her head at the boy next to her.

"Why not? The teacher said it had to be about foreign relations, I think this is a good example."

Casey pushed the heels of her hands into her eyes, "Telling the story of how your grandfather scored with a Vietnamese hooker is not what he had in mind when he handed out this assignment."

Derek started laughing.

"Is this an act, or are you really like this?"

Derek stopped laughing. "Like what?" He asked cocking his head to the side.

"Like you don't know what's going on so you have to cover it up with something completely inappropriate."

Derek took a deep breath and exhaled quickly. "My mom left when I was really little," he began. Casey looked at him with wide eyes.

"She just packed up and left, she took the dog my dad got me for Christmas and I haven't seen her in years. She'll send me a Christmas card of her and the dog every year, like pouring salt into the wound. So I guess I act this way to cover up all of the sadness I feel."

Casey put her hand on his, "that was really brave of you to admit Derek, I'm honored you shared that with me." Casey said squeezing his fingers.

Derek dropped his head down, chin to chest, Casey watched a moment as his shoulders shook with quite sobs and she gingerly put her arm over his shoulder.

This caused his shoulders to start shaking violently. Casey used her other hand to grip his shoulder, "it's ok to cry, Derek."

At this point he seemed hysterical and Casey was worried.

His silent sobs and shaking shoulders turned in to hearty laughter and Derek clutched his aides to control himself.

"Oh you should see your face!" He said wiping at the moisture leaking from his eyes.

Casey sat there In shock for a moment. "You were lying?" She asked incredulously.

Derek sniffled back more laughter. "Yeah, it was getting too serious there."

"Are your parens even divorced?"

"No, they've been married for 20 years." He said in between giggles.

"Oh you're an ass," Casey said laughing reluctantly.

(Thank you for those who reviewed. I can't PM replies from my phone so I'll try and remember what was said.

I know it seems sudden that Derek and Andrew seem to be buddies, I promise it will be explained. Also Casey is a little OOC- she has a mom who doesn't care and she doesn't have Lizzie to think about. The pressure behind her going to the party will also be explained and why she gave in and went. Stick with me please.)


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